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Mortality Movies About Medical Treatment and End of Life Issues
From:
Gail Rubin, The Doyenne of Death, Funeral Expert Gail Rubin, The Doyenne of Death, Funeral Expert
For Immediate Release:
Dateline: Albuquerque, NM
Friday, August 15, 2025

 

Mortality Movies can be sorted into many different topic areas. Some films cover multiple categories. Today’s list covers Gail Rubin’s recommendations for films related to medical treatment and end-of-life issues. Subscribe to her Substack column, Mortality Movies with The Doyenne of Death® to be kept up to date on new recommendations!

YouTube clips available online are also included, so you can get a feel for these Mortality Movies. If you want to get a DVD of the movie or stream it on Prime Video, click on the links in the titles. The links are Amazon Affiliate links, so you can help support Gail Rubin’s work with a tiny referral fee.

Gordon Levitt and Seth Rogen in 50/50 Mortality MoviesInspired by a true story, this comedy centers on a 27-year-old who learns of his cancer diagnosis, his subsequent struggle to beat the disease, and issues around family and dating. Stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen as his best friend who tries to be helpful.

Mortality Movies: Checking Out on Choosing to Die

Peter Falk is Morris Applebaum, an almost 90-year-old stage actor who has decided he’s lived long enough and plans to die by suicide, after gathering the family for his big birthday. This comedy can prompt conversations about medical aid-in-dying, quality of life and related issues.

Mortality Movies: Critical Care on Intensive Care

James Spader stars as a hospital resident put in the middle of a legal battle between two half-sisters on whether to pull their comatose dad’s life support. Sidney Lumet directed this scathing comedy about medical care, insurance, and difficult decisions in the ICU.

Mortality Movies: The Descendants on Pulling Life Support

George Clooney plays a husband whose wife is on life support, wrestling with issues of keeping her alive and connecting with his two daughters. Shows the importance of advance medical directives, doctor-patient communications, and helping family and friends cope with a serious medical situation. Also brings up issues of legacy and inheritance, related to the family’s heritage in Hawaii.

William Hurt stars as a self-centered heart surgeon who is diagnosed with throat cancer. As a patient, he becomes better able to empathize with his patients and appreciate life outside his career.

Mortality Movies: The End on Death Therapy

A slapstick comedy with Burt Reynolds playing a man told by a doctor he doesn’t have much longer to live. He makes multiple failed attempts at suicide and ponders life and death. Also stars Sally Field and Dom DeLuise.

Gail Rubin, CT, is author and host of the award-winning book and television series, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die, Hail and Farewell: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and TipsKICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die and The Before I Die Festival in a Box™.

Rubin is a Certified Thanatologist (that's a death educator) and a popular speaker who uses humor and films to get the end-of-life and funeral planning conversation started. She "knocked 'em dead" with her TEDx talk, A Good Goodbye. She provides continuing education credit classes for attorneys, doctors, nurses, social workers, hospice workers, financial planners, funeral directors and other professionals. She's a Certified Funeral Celebrant and funeral planning consultant who has been interviewed in national and local print, broadcast and online media.

Known as The Doyenne of Death®, she is the event coordinator of the Before I Die New Mexico Festival and author of a guide to holding such festivals. Her podcast is also called The Doyenne of Death®. She produces videos about the funeral business and related topics. Her YouTube Channel features hundreds of videos!

Rubin is a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, Toastmasters International and the National Speakers Association. Her speaking profile is available at eSpeakers.com.

Gail Rubin has been interviewed about funeral planning issues in national and local broadcast, print and online media. Outlets include The Huffington Post, Money Magazine, Kiplinger, CBS Radio News, WGN-TV,  and local affiliates for NPR, PBS, FOX, ABC-TV, CBS-TV and NBC-TV. Albuquerque Business First named her as one of their 2019 Women of Influence.

Sign up for a free planning form and occasional informative newsletter at her website, AGoodGoodbye.com.

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Name: Gail Rubin
Group: A Good Goodbye
Dateline: Albuquerque, NM United States
Direct Phone: 505-265-7215
Cell Phone: 505-363-7514
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